contact us!

This afternoon I’m sitting in my office with my overhead light off but my soft lamp light clicked on. My candle is lit next to me…it has been for the last three hours so the warm Fall scents fill my office. The window is open and Moose is standing by it. I think we’re both listening to the rain.

Most of the things on my list for today have been crossed off, a few still linger here and there but I remind myself that there will always be something more to do. It’s easy for me to get caught up in the more and do and work harder. Yet I think it is good (VERY good) to reflect on what God is teaching me, how He is changing me. And most times personal accounts of what He’s gently teaching one person can help transform another ones life. So here’s to Gods sweet work on my heart….may it encourage and challenge yours as well.

It was during a night of prayer and worship at our church. In between songs and praying we were given a notecard and told to write down burdens that overwhelm us. We spent a few minutes writing things down….then in short, one sentence prayers we were to give them back to the Lord. “God, I give You my _____.” The list of things that I had written down seemed so big for my small self, but as I began those one sentence prayers something I believe God always intends during prayer happened. You know what it was? Freedom. Freedom from needing to know answers. Freedom from big issues and heavy loads. Freedom from carrying the weight of things by myself and instead placing them onto His shoulders.”God, I give You my friendships.” “God, I give you my time.” “God, I give You my worries and fears.” “God, I give You my business.” “God, I give You the path and plan you have for me.” “God, I give You my dreams.” “God, I give You our home.” “God, I give You our finances.” It was an incredible reminder to myself that as I had gotten caught up in the ‘I can do it attitude’, God instead rejoices when I place those things back on Him and rest in trust.

So my response (and challenge) to you is this. What burdens do YOU bear today? Stop and really think through them. With your family, your unknowns, your fears. With your time, with the people you come into contact with. What is heavy on your heart? Mine were easy….and became easier still as I began to write. I struggled with knowing the purpose He was calling me to. I was feeling lonely. What friendships did He have for me? I wanted my time to glorify Him. My desire for a yet deeper marriage and to become a wife that serves and serves alongside Michael well. My burdens were for my dreams and a longing to know if they were His dreams for me too. I wrote down our home and the hope for it to be a place of solace and comfort for others….and what that looks like practically. Burden after burden I scribbled down. Write yours down too….but don’t stop there. Then pray that same, simple prayer. “God, I give you ______.” His desire is that we “Come to Him all you who are weary and heavy laden and He will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He longs to take our burdens, to hear our specific prayers. “As for me I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress and He hears my voice” (Psalm 55: 16-17). He promises to hear. He takes our burden gladly and gives us rest instead.

Today, my prayer is that we would both continue to release the loads we carry–as common or uncommon as they might be. That we would have changed hearts and a freedom knowing they are not ours to carry alone. That we would pray, and deeper still, know that He hears our prayers. That we would look intently for the answers. Because He DOES reveal Himself to us and speak personally. Are we listening? This one simple act–the act of releasing, surrendering the load I carried to the One who longs to carry it changed my life this month. May it change yours too.